Method and apparatus for attaching article to a container

ABSTRACT

The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for attaching an article, preferably comprising communication media, to a container. The container may be, inter alia, any form of container or receptacle. For example and without limitation, the container may be a gift bag or gift box. The container may comprise paper and/or cardboard or other material. One embodiment of the present invention may comprise a barbed protrusion or flexible biasing elements for securing attachment to the container. The attached article may comprise, inter alia, greeting cards, CD&#39;s, DVD&#39;s and the like. The apparatus may further comprise opposing grippable surfaces to grasp and securingly hold the article while the apparatus is secured on container.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applicationSer. Nos. 60/990,474 filed Nov. 27, 2007 and 61/036,146 filed Mar. 13,2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention is generally directed to a method and apparatusfor attaching an article, more preferably an article comprisingcommunication media, to a container.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for attaching anarticle, preferably comprising communication media, to a container. Thecontainer may be, inter alia, any form of container or receptacle. Forexample and without limitation, the container may be a gift bag or giftbox. The container may comprise paper and/or cardboard or othermaterial. One embodiment of the present invention may comprise a barbedprotrusion or flexible biasing elements for securing attachment to thecontainer. The attached article may comprise, inter alia, greetingcards, CD's, DVD's and the like. The apparatus may further compriseopposing grippable surfaces to grasp and securingly hold the articlewhile the apparatus is secured on container.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatusfor removably securing an article to a container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for removably securing an article comprising communicationmedia to a container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for removably securing an article to a container and removablysecuring a decoration to the apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for removably securing an article comprising communicationmedia to a container and removably securing a decoration to theapparatus.

The figures and the detailed description that follow more particularlyexemplify these and other embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of thefollowing detailed description of various embodiments of the inventionin connection with the accompanying drawings, which are included herein.

FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of one embodiment of a container.

FIG. 6 is a front view of one embodiment of a decoration of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7A is a rear view of one embodiment of a decoration of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7B is a side view of one embodiment of a decoration of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, INCLUDING THE BEST MODE

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternativeforms, specifics thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings anddescribed in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that theintention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodimentsdescribed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

As illustrated in the Figures, a method and apparatus for removablysecuring an article to a container is described. One embodiment of agripping apparatus 10 of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS.1-5.

As shown, the gripping apparatus 10 comprises front 12 and rear 14opposing levers, preferably connected by a hinging mechanism (notshown). The front lever 12 may comprise an attachment mechanism 16 forattaching a decoration thereto. As indicated in the Figures, oneembodiment of the attachment mechanism 16 may comprise an aperturewholly, or at least partially, through the front lever 12.Alternatively, the attachment mechanism 16 may comprise a magnet (notshown) to which the decoration may be magnetically affixed. Still morealternatively, the attachment mechanism 16 may comprise adhesive ordouble-sided tape to achieve affixation of the decoration thereto. Therear lever 14 comprises a front 18 and back 20 surfaces and a protrudingbarbed element 22 attached to the back surface 24.

The barbed element 22 preferably comprises a distal portion 24 and aproximal portion 26. The distal portion 24 comprises a tapered profilewherein the diameter and circumference (if the distal portion 24comprises a circular shape) or perimeter (if the distal portion 24comprises a non-circular shape) are at a maximum at the junction 28 ofthe distal portion 24 and the proximal portion 26. Barbed element 22 maycomprise a non-flexible material such as a hardened plastic, metal ormay comprise a more flexible material such as rubber.

The barbed element 22 is designed to, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5,removably engage a wall 40 of a container 42 in order to removablysecure the gripping apparatus 10 to the container. The container maycomprise paper as in a typical gift bag or cardboard and thus may beamenable to piercing by the barbed element 22. The tapered profile ofthe distal portion 24 of the barbed element 22 presents in certainembodiments a pointed distal tip 43. This distal tip 43 may thus be usedto engage the container's wall 40 and create an aperture 44 therethroughif sufficient force is applied. Alternatively, the container's wall 40may comprise a pre-formed aperture 44 which may be utilized if thecontainer comprises a material not readily pierced by the distal tip 43of the barbed element 22.

The preferred aperture 44 shape, whether preformed or created throughthe force of the user pressing the pointed distal tip 43 through thewall 40 is approximately that of a circle, though other equivalentshapes will present themselves to the skilled artisan, each such shapeis within the scope of the present invention. Dimensionally, it ispreferred that the maximum diameter and circumference or perimeter ofthe distal portion 24 of the barbed element 22 be at least slightlylarger than the diameter of the aperture 44. Thus, the barbed elementwill engage the inner surface 46 of the wall, preventing egress of thedistal portion 24 from the aperture 44. Alternatively, the aperture 44and the maximum diameter and circumference or perimeter of the distalportion of the barbed element may be substantially similar in size. Inthis case, the weight of the gripping apparatus 10 may cause theapparatus 10, and the barbed element 22 inserted into aperture 44, torotate downwardly, causing the barbed element 22 to engage the innersurface 46 of wall 40, thus preventing egress of the barbed element 22from the aperture 44. Those skilled in the art will recognize that thebarbed element 22 may be removed from the aperture 44 by application ofsufficient force, particularly in the case where the container comprisespaper or cardboard or the like and/or where the barbed element 22comprises rubber or the like.

Returning now to FIGS. 1-3, the front 12 and rear 14 opposing leverscomprise front 30 and rear 32 opposing gripping elements. FIG. 2illustrates the front gripping element 30 and the rear gripping element32 in the closed position. Preferably, the gripping apparatus 10 isbiasingly held in the closed position by a biasing spring 34. Thegripping apparatus 10 may be opened, i.e., the front gripping element 30and the rear gripping element 32 urged away and apart from each other,by placing inwardly directed pressure on the opposing levers 12, 14 asindicated by arrows in FIG. 2 and overcoming the force provided by thebiasing spring 34 which biases the apparatus 10 in the closed positionas shown in FIGS. 1-2. FIG. 3 provides a perspective view of the presentinvention in the opened position.

The front gripping element 30 and the rear gripping element 32 areopposing and further comprise inner surfaces 36 that are also opposingand, as such, facilitate gripping of an article (not shown) placedtherebetween when the gripping apparatus 10 is in the open position andthen allowed to biasingly close against the article, thus removablysecuring the article between the front gripping element 30 and the reargripping element 32.

As will be well understood by those skilled in the art, articles may begrippingly secured between the inner surfaces 36 of the front and reargripping elements 30, 32. Such secured gripping comprises utilizing thebiasing force of the biasing spring 34, which biases the inner surfaces36 of the front and rear gripping elements 30, 32 toward the closedposition. Thus, applying force on the opposing levers 12, 14, asindicated by arrows in FIG. 2, to overcome the biasing spring 34 forceopens the front and rear gripping elements 30, 32. Insertion of anarticle between the opened front and rear gripping elements 30, 32, withsubsequent release of force on the opposing levers 12, 14 allows theinner surfaces 36 of the front and rear gripping elements 30, 32 toclose on each side of the article, thus engaging the article heldtherebetween. Thus, as long as the biasing force of the biasing spring34 can overcome the gravitational force of the article's mass, thearticle will be removably secured between the front and rear grippingelements 30, 32. The inner surfaces 36 of the front and rear grippingelements 30, 32 may be coated with a rubber (or similar) material and/ormay be textured to increase the ability to grip the article therein. Asthe skilled artisan will readily recognize, the article may be comprise,without limitation, communication media such as greeting cards, CD's,DVD's and the like.

As described above, the front lever 12 may comprise an attachmentmechanism 16 that facilitates removable attachment of a suitabledecoration thereto. An exemplary decoration 50 is provided in FIGS. 6,7A and 7B. The decoration 50 comprises a complementary attachmentmechanism 16′ which allows removable securing of the decoration 50 withthe attachment mechanism 16 of the front lever 12.

As illustrated in FIG. 7B, the attachment mechanism is a barbed elementsimilar to that described above in connection with the securing of thegripping apparatus 10 to the container 42. This embodiment of thecomplementary attachment mechanism 16′ is complementary with theaperture embodiment of the attachment mechanism 16 shown in FIGS. 2 and4 which receives the complementary attachment mechanism 16′ therein.Alternatively, the attachment mechanism 16 and its complementaryattachment mechanism 16′ of the decoration 50 may comprise attractingmagnets, adhesive and/or double-sided tape, all of which allow removableattachment of the decoration 50 to the front lever 12, specifically tothe attachment mechanism 16 of the front lever 12.

Turning now to FIG. 8, an alternate embodiment of the gripping apparatus10 is provided. In this embodiment, the gripping apparatus 10 may bereversible in that in one aspect, it may removably secured and hung fromthe edge of container 42 with the article removably secured bydouble-sided tape or attracting magnets. In the reverse aspect, thegripping apparatus 10 may be removably secured by double-sided tape orattracting magnets to the wall 40 of the container 42 with the articleremovably hung within the gripping apparatus 10.

This alternate gripping apparatus 10 embodiment comprises a frame 60,with a front side 62, a top side 64 and a back side 66, each havinginterior surfaces 62 a, 64 b, 66 a and exterior surfaces 62 b, 64 b and66 b. The apparatus 10 further comprises an interior section 68 with awidth, a height and a depth that is defined by the interior surfaces ofthe front side 62, top side 64 and back side 66.

At least one pair of opposable flexible filaments 70 is affixed withinthe interior section 68, the at least one pair of opposable flexiblefilaments comprising a flexible filament 70 f attached to the frontinterior surface 62 a and another flexible filament 70 r attached to theback side interior surface 66 a. FIG. 8 illustrates three pairs ofopposable flexible filaments 70. Each flexible filament 70 f and 70 rcomprising a pair of opposable flexible filaments 70 is arranged so thateach filament 70 f and 70 r are biased upwardly toward the interiorsurface of top side 64 a, thus forming a passage of very low upward andvery high downward resistance as the article or container edge movesupwardly into the interior section 68 and enters the passage 72 betweenthe at least one pair of opposable flexible filaments 70 and engages thefree end 74 of each of the flexible filaments 70 f and 70 r in the pair70.

Each of the filaments 70 f, 70 r are comprised of a relatively rigidmaterial such as a plastic, rubber or the like. The filaments 70 f, 70 rmay flex upwardly as an object moves upwardly into the interior section68 between the filament pairs 70 because of the upwardly biasedarrangement of the filament pairs 70. However, attempted removal of theobject that is engaged between filament pair(s) 70 will result in anencountering of resistance due to the opposing forces placed on theobject by the upwardly biased and relatively rigid filament pair(s) 70.

In the embodiment where an article is engaged by the at least one pairof filaments 70, releasing the article will result in gravitationalforce urging the article downward, with the filament pair(s) 70providing an opposing force against the sides of the article. As long asthe filament pair(s) 70 are able to provide a force that is not overcomeby the gravitational force resulting from the mass of the article, thearticle will be held within the interior section 68 by the filamentpair(s) 70. The article may be removed simply by applying enough forceto overcome the opposing force of the filament pair(s) 70. In thisembodiment, the gripping apparatus 10 may be removably secured to thecontainer wall 40 by use of an attachment mechanism 76, e.g., doublesided tape or opposing magnets.

In the embodiment where the interior surface engages the edge of acontainer wall 40, the gripping apparatus 10 is lowered onto and overthe wall edge, thus engaging the container wall 40 within the passageway72 between filament pair(s) 70 as described above. The apparatus 10 willbe secured to the container wall 40 by the oppositional force of thefilament pair(s) 70 until sufficient upward force is applied to overcomethe force of the filament pair(s) 70, thus allowing removal of theapparatus 10 from the container wall 40. In this embodiment, the articlemay be removably secured to the gripping apparatus 10 by use of anattachment mechanism 76, e.g., double sided tape or opposing magnets.

The present invention should not be considered limited to the particularexamples described above, but rather should be understood to cover allaspects of the invention. Various modifications, equivalent processes,as well as numerous structures to which the present invention may beapplicable will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art towhich the present invention is directed upon review of the presentspecification.

1. An apparatus for attaching an article to a container, comprising:front and rear opposing levers, the front lever having a front surfaceand the rear lever having a back surface; a biasing spring disposedbetween the front and rear opposing levers; a front gripping elementcomprising an inner surface and disposed on the front opposing lever; arear gripping element comprising an inner surface and disposed on therear opposing lever, wherein the inner surfaces of the front and reargripping elements are opposing and wherein the biasing spring provides abiasing force that may be overcome and that biases the inner surfaces ofthe front and rear gripping elements together in a closed position; abarbed element attached to the back surface of the rear lever, thebarbed element comprising a distal portion, a proximal portion and ajunction therebetween, the distal portion comprising a tapered profileand a pointed distal tip; an attachment mechanism attached to the frontsurface of the front lever; and a decoration comprising a complementaryattachment mechanism, whereby the decoration is removably attached tothe attachment mechanism.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theattachment mechanism attached to the front surface of the front levercomprises a barbed element and wherein the complementary attachmentmechanism on the decoration comprises an aperture.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism and complementary attachmentmechanism comprise opposable magnets.
 4. An apparatus for attaching anarticle to a container, comprising: a frame comprising a front side, thefront side having an interior surface and an exterior surface, a topside, the top side having an interior and an exterior surface, a backside, the back side having an interior and an exterior surface; aninterior section defined by the interior surfaces of the front side, topside and back side; at least one pair of opposable flexible filamentsaffixed within the interior section, comprising one flexible filamentattached to the front interior surface of the frame and the opposableflexible filament attached to the back side interior surface, whereinthe pair of opposable flexible filaments are biased upwardly; apassageway of low upward and high downward resistance between the atleast one pair of opposable flexible filaments; and an attachmentmechanism on the exterior surface of the back side.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 4, further comprising at least two pairs of opposable flexiblefilaments.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising at leastthree pairs of opposable flexible filaments.
 7. The apparatus of claim4, wherein an edge of a container is removably received withinpassageway of low upward and high downward resistance and wherein anarticle is attached to the attachment mechanism.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 4, wherein the attachment mechanism is attached to a side wall ofa container and wherein an article is removably received withinpassageway of low upward and high downward resistance.